Below we have listed a few of the most frequently asked questions we receive at the Whole Beauty® Institute

Chicago plastic surgeon John Q. Cook is highly selective in choosing the facilities where he performs surgery since he places extreme emphasis on maximizing patient safety. Most elective aesthetic surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis. The facilities which Dr. Cook has selected have met his demanding criteria. These include high quality of equipment, experienced anesthesiologists, properly credentialed staff, and a philosophy which reflects his emphasis on high quality patient care.

2. Where do I recover from surgery?

Many of the surgeries which Dr. Cook performs allow for home recovery. We will make certain that you have proper instructions so that the recovery process will go as smoothly as possible. We place great emphasis on the process of preparing you for surgery and the recovery period. For patients who undergo more extensive surgeries or for those who desire privacy and convenience, it is possible to recover at a small hotel next to our Gold Coast office. We have several highly experienced caregivers who can help you during the recovery period and make the process surprisingly easy for you.

3. What is recovery like?

Recovery varies from patient to patient and depends on the procedure, so it is difficult to answer this question briefly.Facial Rejuvenation Surgery – With major procedures such as a full facelift and brow lift, the patient is usually back in circulation in two to three weeks. With small procedures, return to work and social interaction can be even sooner. When a larger procedure is performed, patients may spend the first night after surgery in a small hotel near our Gold Coast office. One of our caregivers will care for you the first night. For smaller procedures, some patients like to use the hotel, while others recover at home.

Breast Surgery – If surgery involves only an augmentation with an implant and if you work at a job that is not too physical, here is a common pattern. The surgery might be performed on a Thursday. You will spend the weekend as a “couch potato” wrapped up in a dressing that is like a bulky tube top. You will come back to see us on a Monday or Tuesday, we will remove the dressing and help you into a gentle support bra. After that, you can return to work.With a more extensive surgery, the recovery is a bit longer. Most patients are back to gentle exercise such as walking or treadmill within a week. It will be about a month before you can resume heavy exercise such as weight lifting, aerobics classes, or racquet sports.

Body Contour Surgery – If liposuction is the procedure necessary to achieve your goals, a common pattern is similar to that of a breast augmentation if you work at a job that is not too physical. Surgery might be performed on a Thursday. You will spend the weekend as a “couch potato” and return to see us on a Monday or Tuesday. You will wear a compression garment, similar to a tight girdle for approximately six weeks. The extent of recovery depends on how much surgery you have had. For other advanced body contour surgery, recovery varies significantly depending on your individual circumstances. Please feel free to call our office to discuss any details.

4. Where is the office located and how do I reach it?

The Gold Coast office is located in Olympia Center on Michigan Avenue at Chicago Avenue overlooking the historic Water Tower. The entrance to our offices is at 151 East Chicago Avenue. Parking is available in the building at a reduced rate, with validation. Most of our patients from the central city will come to the office by foot or by taxi, as this is most convenientOur North Shore location is located in Winnetka at 118 Green Bay Road. This is just north of the intersection between Green Bay Road and Winnetka Avenue. Our office also happens to be conveniently located just a few steps from the Indian Hill Metra Station for those patients who prefer to reach the office by train. The office is just a few minutes east of the Willow Road and Lake Avenue exits of the Edens Expressway (Route 41). The office is also easily accessible to our patients in the western and northwestern suburbs by means of the Tri-state Tollway.

5. What is the initial consultation with Dr. Cook like?

Dr. Cook places particular emphasis on the interaction with his patients. He favors an approach in which he gets to know his patients well, including their family responsibilities, work responsibilities, and exercise patterns. The reason this is important is that it guides him in terms of recommending specific procedures as well as tailoring the recovery process. Dr. Cook will spend time focusing on these issues as well as your medical history. This is important to make sure that the surgery will be done with maximum safety.After this, Dr. Cook will perform a detailed physical examination of the areas for surgery. The information that Dr. Cook obtains from this examination will allow him to formulate a detailed and individualized treatment plan for you. Many of our patients who have been to other surgeons comment on the thoroughness of Dr. Cook’s approach and appreciate the extra detail and extra time that we take. There will then be plenty of time for Dr. Cook to discuss his specific recommendations and answer any questions that you have.

6. What are Dr. Cook’s hospital affiliations?

Dr. Cook is on the staff of Rush University Medical Center. He also holds an academic appointment with Rush Medical College. He is actively involved in plastic surgery teaching and research.

7. What are Dr. Cook’s professional and educational credentials?

We invite you to visit the section About Dr. Cook, which details these credentials for you. Dr. Cook is extremely proud of them as they provide the foundation on which he can build high quality and individualized patient care.

8. What is the focus of Dr. Cook’s practice?

Plastic surgery is an extraordinarily diverse field and Dr. Cook received extensive training across the entire discipline of plastic surgery. For over the past decade, Dr. Cook has chosen to focus his practice within three particular areas. These are represented by our centers of excellence: facial rejuvenation surgery, plastic surgery of the breast, and advanced body contour surgery. Dr. Cook believes that a highly focused practice enables him to deliver a more sophisticated and nuanced approach to his patients.

9. If I schedule an appointment today, how long will it be before I can see Dr. Cook?

This varies somewhat with the seasons. In Chicago, the high seasons for elective plastic surgery are the fall months leading up to early December, then the months of January to May. This is because most people prefer to recover from surgery when the weather is less delightful and the sun is less intense. There can be times at the peak of these seasons when the waiting time to see Dr. Cook is longer than we would like. This is due to Dr. Cook’s reputation and the relatively high demand for his services. We also do not believe in compromising our individualized approach and rushing patients through.For patients who desire consultations during this peak season, we would greatly appreciate if you let us know if you are planning to have surgery within the next four to six weeks. If this is the case we will make every effort to arrange for an expedited appointment.Another option is for you to schedule a preliminary consultation with our surgical patient coordinator. Our coordinators and nurses have a very clear understanding of Dr. Cook’s philosophy and surgical approach and can give you extremely useful information. It is usually possible for us to arrange for a preliminary consultation with one of our surgical patient coordinators within several days. This will allow you to become acquainted with our practice and our highly personalized approach to patient interaction. At the end of this consultation, if you decide that you want to proceed with surgery in the relatively near term, we will arrange for an expedited appointment with Dr. Cook.

10. If I decide to proceed with surgery at the time of the initial consultation, how long must I wait?

This depends to a degree on the time of year. From mid-to-late fall to late spring is the busiest time in Dr. Cook’s practice.We take great pride in responding to our patients’ needs and will make every effort possible to accommodate those patients who have a need for surgery in the near term. We understand that once a patient has made a decision to proceed with surgery, he or she may be eager to proceed. This is just human nature. To help us accommodate you, please remember to inform our staff when you schedule your appointment for initial consultation if you are considering surgery in the relatively near term.

11. What steps do you take to ensure my privacy?

This is a particular point of emphasis in our practice. A number of our patients are recognizable public figures who have a need for absolute privacy. We recognize that for all patients the approach to plastic surgery is a highly personal decision. Some of our patients are very open and share the experience with many of their friends. Others want this to be an entirely private experience, so that even their best friends might not know they have had surgery. The point is, the decision to be private or open would be yours, alone. We will take every possible step to ensure the privacy of every one of our patients. This is particularly important during the recovery period where there might be bandages, bruising, or swelling that would make is apparent that you have had surgery.In addition to these physical measures, the respect for your privacy is embedded in the philosophy of our practice and the instructions which we provide to all of our staff members.The hotel which we utilize for our recovering patients in the Gold Coast was similarly chosen with privacy in mind. The accommodations are extremely comfortable. The public areas of the hotel are utilized almost exclusively by hotel guests, so it is unlikely that you would encounter a friend or business associate. We are also able to make the early postoperative visits to your room at the hotel, which gives you an additional measure of comfort and privacy.

12. What are the principals that guide Dr. Cook’s work?

We believe that this is an extremely important question. The answer to this question will determine both the quality of the surgical outcome as well as the quality of the experience in the total care of each patient. We invite you to visit the sections of the website devoted to the doctor’s philosophy and Dr. Cook’s autobiographical statement for an exploration of this important area.

13. What led Dr. Cook to choose the field of plastic surgery?

For Dr. Cook, plastic surgery offers the ideal fusion of creativity and technical discipline. He also very much enjoys the interaction with plastic surgery patients and the voluntary nature of the plastic surgery patient interaction. Dr. Cook enjoys the opportunity to develop innovative techniques which plastic surgery has afforded him. For a detailed examination of these issues please see Dr. Cook’s autobiographical statement in this website.